On Tuesday, July 15th, attorney Kamar of Rabbis or Human Rights came
to Susya, accompanied by representatives of the Civil
Administration. They spoke with several of the residents of the
Palestinian village Susya, among them Abu Jaber, and announced that
they are allowed access and use of the grazing areas recognized as
land belonging to the Halis family of Yatta, included in the
expanded security area of the Susya colony (i.e. settlement) [see: http://www.taayush.org/topics/susia-update-13012007.html ].

On Thursday July 17th, several of the Susya villagers, accompanied
by some international volunteers, entered the Halis family land with
their herds. This area is located on the south side of the hill to
the west of the improvised colonist outpost created about two years
ago that includes, among other things, a dwelling shack. Shortly
after their arrival, some colonists suddenly emerged, among them a
young man by the name of Shlomi on horseback (photo 1947), Michael 
the Susya colony security guard (photo 1976), Dalia Har-Sinai and
her daughter, a shepherd from Dalia's ranch (located to the south-
west of the colony) and two other colonists, one of them driving a
Subaru station-wagon no. 35-076-03 (photos 1945, 1957). This latter
colonist now told the Palestinians he had taken part in the severe
assault against Khalil and Tamam Nuaj'ah's family earlier last month
(on this incident see http://villagesgroup.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/palestinian-family-
from-susya-assaulted-by-settlers/

This band began to throw stones at the herd, while Shlomi on his
horse rode through it, trying to scatter and chase it away. When
soldiers arrived at the scene, they collected the Palestinians' IDs
and declared the area a 'closed military zone'.

In answer to the question why the colonists are not turned away from
an area declared as such, one of the soldiers said in English, "They
are our commanders".

When, after a while, some policemen arrived, colonist Shlomi
complained of having been attacked by Mahmoud Nwaj'ah. Mahmoud was
arrested and taken to the Hebron police station for interrogation
(he was released that evening).

On the next day, Friday July 18th, a civil administration officer by
the name of Timor came to Palestinian Susya and announced that
following the difficulties of entering the Halis family lands, they
are allowed to reach the Nwaj'ah family lands on the other,
northern, side of the "shack" outpost. On the morrow, Saturday July
19th, accompanied by international volunteers, the villagers came
there to graze their herd. The first colonist to arrive on the scene
this time was Dalia's shepherd, who took his shirt off and used it
to mask his face (photo 2098) as has become the habit in colonist
attacks lately. This colonist alerted Michael, the security guard,
who arrived with another ten colonists, including two who
participated in the previous assault. Among them was the one had
driven the Subaru and was now threatening the Palestinians:

"We'll do to you what we did to Tamam" (photos 2107, 2112). Another
bearded colonist (photo 2117) explained to the landowners of the
Nwaj'ah family that all of this land belongs to the Jews, and the
only way for the family to repossess it is to become Jews
themselves. The other colonists resorted to the familiar language of
stoning the shepherds and their flocks. After a while the regional
brigade commander arrived at the spot, a colonel, and declared the
place 'closed military zone'. When Abu Jaber's complained that once
more this edict was being forced on Palestinians alone and not on
their colonist assailants, the commander instructed his soldiers to
arrest him. They also arrested Nasser Nwaj'ah who was filming the
incident on behalf of 'B'tselem' organization.

In addition, the four international volunteers were detained. None
of the attacking colonists were detained, however. The commander's
claims that the violence was initiated by the Palestinian residents
who refused to obey the soldiers' demands have been refuted by the
filmed footage.

Later, when the detainees arrived at the Hebron police station, one
of the interrogating policemen told them: "The key mistake here was
made by Moshe Dayan, who did not expel all of you to Jordan
immediately following the 1967 Occupation."